Right Kind of Wrong

By: Izabel (Eph51@aol.com)

Chapter 1: The Right Type

*~*~*~*

Riley Morgan lowered her sunglasses as she stepped out of her silver BMW convertible. She scanned the campus with bored eyes.

Another prep school, another day.

She'd been in and out of prep schools her entire life, and she didn't see how Eden Hall Academy was different from the others. It had the same imposing structures, clean-cut lawn, and the same cookie-cut preps lounging with textbooks in their laps. But there wasn't a dress code, so she found one tiny thing to be grateful for.

With a resolved sigh, Riley slowly wandered up the steps of the main building. She wandered into the spacious lobby and then into the main office.

"May I help you?" a lanky woman with graying hair asked curiously, setting down her pen to peer at riley through wire-rimmed glasses.

"I'm Riley Morgan," she answered. "I just transferred?"

"Oh, right," the woman said aloofly, glancing at the computer screen. She tapped in a few keys, her acrylic nails clicking against the plastic keys. "Dean Buckley has been expecting you. Down the hall, second door on the left."

Riley gave her a half-hearted smile. "Thanks." She didn't wait for a reply, not that she expected one, and then turned down the hall. She paused outside the door and knocked.

"Come in!" came the singsong reply.

She opened the door and came in, shutting it behind her. "Dean Buckley?"

The man smiled from behind his desk. "You must Riley Morgan!"

"That's me," Riley agreed, walking over to shake his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"And you," he responded quickly, sitting back down. "Please, sit," he offered, motioning to a chair.

Riley sat and waited patiently.

"Well, Miss Morgan, we have the schedule you requested," the dean said, handing her a sheet of paper with the Eden Hall insignia across the top. He handed her a folder of papers. "And these are some rules, your dorm room assignment. Did you drive here?"

Riley nodded. "I brought my car."

"We'll lock it up in the car pool, but you may use it on the weekends, as long as you follow curfew that is," he pointed out happily.

Curfew? she thought. Just great… "That'll be fine," she said with a smile. "I can move my car to the car pool now. It's parked out front."

"If you give me your keys, I'll have someone do it," the dean replied, extending a hand.

Riley's eyes narrowed slightly, but she handed the keys over. "I need to get my bags out first."

He nodded and the smile slowly faded. He gave her a stern, almost reprimanding look.

Here it comes, she thought.

"I've heard stories as to why you were…removed from your last schools," the dean said tactfully. "I trust we won't have those problems here?"

"Well, one can never tell the future, Dean," Riley said honestly.

His eyes narrowed. "Eden Hall is a top-notch school, Miss Morgan, and I won't have anything or anyone tarnishing her good name."

Riley sighed. "I promise I'll try to behave."

"You'll do more than try," the dean replied coolly. "You will behave or I'll be forced to dismiss you."

Riley watched him, wondering if he was serious. She gave him a sweet grin. "Dean Buckley, all that's in the past, where I'd like to leave it. I'm trying to move on. Honest!"

He stared at her a moment longer, then gave a swift nod. "Very good. You may go, Miss Morgan."

Riley gave him a fleeting smile before turning out of the office and heading back outside. She slid the designer sunglasses back down to the bridge of her nose and wandered over to her car. "Can I help you?" she asked the two boys lingering by her car.

"This yours?" the red head with glasses asked, motioning to the car.

Riley nodded. "Yeah."

"Nice," the heavy one with brown hair said slowly, glancing at the car while rubbing his chin. "You must be new here."

"That about sums it up," Riley agreed, removing a bag from the backseat. She opened the driver's side door and hit the button to open to trunk. She went to the back of the car and pulled out two large suitcases. She shut the trunk and leaned against the car. "You guys know where Levenson Hall is?" he asked, glancing at her room assignment paper.

The red head nodded. "We can take you there." He extended a hand. "I'm Les Averman, and that's Greg Goldberg."

"Riley Morgan," she replied, shaking his hand. "And thanks, I could use a tour guide."

Averman moved to pick up one of her bags. "So what school did you go to before here?"

"Langley," Riley answered, grabbing the other two bags. "It's in Los Angeles."

"Is that where you lived?" Goldberg asked, walking behind them.

Riley shook her head. "I lived in Northern California. But I was born in New York."

"There's Guy and Connie," Averman pointed out.

Riley turned and saw the couple seated together under a tree, pouring over books. They glanced up and smiled at each other, then turned back to the books. Riley turned to Averman. "Friends of yours?"

"We all play hockey together," Averman said proudly.

"Perhaps you've heard of us," Goldberg bragged from behind. "We're the Ducks. We won the Junior Goodwill Games?"

Riley turned and shrugged. "Sorry. I'm not a big hockey fan."

Goldberg's jaw dropped. "I see."

Riley laughed at his crestfallen look. "It's not like I'm condemning the game or anything. I just don't see the point."

"The point is to score goals," Averman cracked, "and I think we've finally got it down."

Riley rolled her eyes and stopped. She looked up at the tall building looming before them. "Levenson Hall?" she guessed.

Averman nodded. "Let's get you settled in. What room?"

"254," she answered, pushing her sunglasses back up to the top of her blond head.

"That's near Julie and Connie," Goldberg voiced.

Riley turned to him. "Girlfriends?"

Goldberg gave her an eager smile. "That position is yet to be filled. I am accepting applications, though."

Riley smirked. "I'll keep that in mind." She blew out a long breath. "Connie was the girl you mentioned before?"

Averman nodded. Before he could speak, an athletic girl with dark blond hair, a shade lighter than Riley's, came outside. She smiled at the guys. "Hey."

"Julie," Averman greeted. He motioned to Riley. "This is Riley Morgan. Riley, Julie Gaffney."

"Nice to meet you," Julie said warmly. "Can I help you with anything?"

Riley shrugged. "If you want."

The foursome made their way inside and trudged up the stairs to room 254. Averman heaved the suitcase on the empty bed. Riley glanced around. Half of the room was decorated. "I guess my roomie's out."

"You're staying with Megan Blizzard," Julie supplied. "She's really nice."

"What happened to the other girl?" Riley asked, setting down her stuff.

Julie shrugged. "Transferred."

Averman backed towards the door. "I guess we'll see you later?"

Riley flashed him and Goldberg a quick smile. "Thanks for all the help guys."

"No problem," Goldberg grinned. "Call if you need anything. Anything at all," he added.

Averman rolled his eyes and pulled his friend out the door.

Julie smirked. "He likes you."

"Goldberg?" Riley guessed. Julie nodded, and Riley shrugged. "He's not my type."

Both turned at a sharp knock on the door.

"Julie?" a male voice called. "I thought we were gonna study for the trig test."

"Sorry, Portman," she apologized. She nodded to Riley. "This is Riley Morgan. She just got here."

Portman flashed her a trademark grin. "Nice to meet you."

Riley smiled slowly. "Pleasure's mine." She studied Portman. Broad shoulders, dark hair, chocolate eyes, and a killer body.

Now he's my type.